


Brothers and Archons

by MoonPotatoe



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Anxiety Disorder, Brotherly Love, Crystal Tower Questline G'raha Tia (Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn), Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward Spoilers, Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood Spoilers, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Multi, Patch 2.0: A Realm Reborn Spoilers, Patch 5.0: Shadowbringers Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:26:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29501985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonPotatoe/pseuds/MoonPotatoe
Summary: An alternate universe where B'nuka is an Archon instead of a Warrior of Light.
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch & Original Character(s), G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light





	Brothers and Archons

**Author's Note:**

> What's this, an AU where B'nuka is happy and not suffering with angst!?
> 
> Okay maybe a little angst but hey at least it's not soul-crushingly angsty that you gotta question if he needs a therapist or not.
> 
> So what is this AU? Simple, Nuka's an Archon, not a WoL. He's also a Student of Baldesion because I want him to be happy with G'raha and Krile. This fic will just follow Nuka through the MSQ and a bit before as an Archon. The WoL in this story is left ambiguous and G'raha loves them. Nuka's more like G'raha's little brother then a lover despite them being not related or from the same tribe, not that Nuka cares about romance because he's just an ace little nerd who likes books and does his best to be a good wingman to his big brother.
> 
> Anyways, I hope those who read this enjoy and pray for my sanity as I ignore all the WIPs in my drive as the brainworms make me write this. ^_^

B'nuka peeked out from the bush to the pier leading out towards the open ocean. He spied the Nuhn of the G tribe speaking with an old, tall man with pointy ears, and G'raha was standing by his Nuhn. His big ears were pinned to his head and his tail was hanging low, so whatever the adults were talking about G'raha wasn't happy about it. B'nuka listened in on the conversation the adults were having, curious as to what's going on.

"So it's decided. G'raha will go with you back to the Motherland. I don't want my son to grow up in a place where he doesn't fit in with the other kits, so this'll be a great opportunity for him. I think he'll do a lot better in Sharlayan then here."

"Excellent. I'm sure Sharlayan is the perfect place for young G'raha Tia to fuel his curiosity. I promise you we will take good care of the boy. We'll be leaving in under a week."

The two men shook hands as a deal was made between them. As the two Miqo'te began to walk towards the forest, B'nuka ducked down to hide in the bush, pondering on what was going on. The young Tia had no idea what was going on, his curiosity had got the better of him as he saw the grand boat on the pier. He saw various ships from far away lands come and go from the endless blue ocean, but this ship was the grandest he had seen. From what he had gathered from the conversation the two men were having, G'raha would be leaving on it to a place called "Sharlayan." He'd never heard of such a place, only really knowing the never ending forest he was trapped in. 

B'nuka doesn't like the forest much; the thick leaves blocking out the warm sun from hitting his fair skin, the endless twinning of the branches that felt like chains made of wood, the neverending green that stretches in for malms and malms. Not many in the tribe seem to know what lies beyond the forest. The elders forbade leaving the forest to all, kits and adults alike. They say it's dangerous, that the men in iron would kill any who are unwise enough step onto their territory. The elders say the forest protects the Boar tribe, and because of their "tales," banishment is basically a death sentence. 

But that never stopped B'nuka's curiosity from getting the better of him. Ever since he gained the courage to sneak out of his prison of a home, he'd always watch the pier, dreaming of the day he may one day escape this hell that he calls a home. But this may be a chance for him to escape. He knows from the books he reads that there is more of the world out there then this forest. He knows there are places where no iron men have touched, places where he can be free from the wooden chains that surround him. He could do it. He could finally get out of here. He could finally be free, be safe, live his own life and not what the elders want of him, which is no life at all according to them. To them he'd be better off dead, a worthless runt like him won't be missed anyway. Determination fueled, B'nuka quickly scurried off back to his "hut" to prepare for his escape.

  
  


***

  
  


_ Five days later _

Nightfall. The moon was high up in the sky. Darkness had encased the forest. The lights from the village had dimmed, saying that everyone had turned in for the night. B'nuka listened in for any noises in case B'zuka was hiding, ready to do what he usually does every night. B'nuka heard no sound other than the creaking of the wood underneath his bare feet. The coast was clear, and his escape could begin. Going to the back of the room, the small kit pulled a loose floorboard from the ground, revealing his most treasured possessions. An old, weathered grimoire from the library with the basics of arcanima written down, and a dirty stuffed rabbit his twin sister had gifted him on his eighth nameday. B'nuka wasn't allowed to have any personal items, the elders didn't think a runt like him deserved luxuries since they all thought he'd be dead by this age. But they underestimated his determination to live, his determination to escape, his determination to get out of this prison of a forest once and for all. B'nuka grabbed his possessions and crawled through the small tunnel leading outside. 

Before he ran off to the pier, the runt looked back towards the village, wondering for a moment how different things would be if he wasn't treated like a pest by his family, his tribe. He would be able to play with all the other kits his age, and be able to stay in the family cabin. He could eat actual meat his sisters had hunted and be surrounded by soft fabrics as he slept. He'd be able to learn how to read, write, wield a weapon to protect the tribe. But alas, not everyone is treated equally. Once a runt, always a runt. He'd never be able to keep up with the kits whenever they played, he'd never eat anything other than bones, sleep nowhere other than the cold, hard floor. But once he's out of here, he can do all that. This place was never his home, because he was less than nothing to them. They're better off without him. So he ran to the pier without looking back.

The pier was empty, the crew of the ship all asleep. The ramp leading up to it was open, ready for use the following morning. B'nuka knew he had to be careful, in case anyone was awake. Getting caught could mean death, if all those stories about ship people were true. With small steps, B'nuka got onto the main deck. Now he was on the boat, he had to find a place to hide, someplace no one would find him. There were a ton of crates and barrels around the main deck, maybe one of them was empty. B'nuka checked the crates and barrels in the back, as no one seemed to check them, and to his luck one crate happened to be empty, and it was big enough to fit him in too. It was perfect! Without hesitation, B'nuka opened the empty crate up and dropped in his grimoire and stuffed rabbit, before climbing in himself and closing the crate up with the lid. B'nuka got comfortable immediately, he was very used to sleeping on hard wooden floors, and began to drift off to sleep, smiling as he knew he would soon be free.

But the peaceful rest didn't last long, as B'nuka was woken up by the sound of a loud crash of wood breaking. A voice was then heard, one that sends terror down the young kit's spine.

"Where the hells is that runt!?" 

It was Zuka. He sounded like he was ready to kill, a hunter after his run away prey. The older Tia must've tracked down B'nuka's trail once he came to the cabin and saw that the runt had escaped. B'nuka's instincts caused him to curl up against one of the far corners of the crate he was in, ears pinned down, tail curled around his legs, clutching his stuffed rabbit for dear life, praying to Azemya that he wouldn't be found. The sound of a nearby crate being smashed up caused him to be petrified with fear, unwillingly letting out a small, fearful whimper. Footsteps began to grow louder as Zuka approached the crate B'nuka was hiding in. 

"Are you in here, runt? If you are, I'm gonna make you regret trying to flee! I'll cut up all the ligaments in your shitty little legs, and make sure you'll never fucking walk again!"

A loud bang from the top of the crate made B'nuka curl up more into himself. Now he was shaking in fear, tears were falling down his cheeks, stuffed bunny held in a vice grip as B'nuka prayed to his goddess for help. He wasn't sure if she would answer him in the middle of the night, but he needed a miracle before Zuka smashed the crate he was hiding in.

_ "P-P-Plea...se… S-Some...one… A-Any...one… H-Help...me…" _

"Oi what's going on out here? Who's smashing up all the crates and barrels?"

More footsteps were heard approaching the crates. B'nuka stayed as still as he could, trying not to make a sound as he listened in on the men.

"Hey Tia! What the hells are you doing with our crates and barrels!? We need them to store stuff!"

"I am deeply sorry sirs, but my younger brother has stowed away on your ship and I'm merely here to bring him safely back home to his family"

Rage had entered the spectrum of emotions B'nuka was feeling as Zuka shifted from bloodthirsty and ready to kill the runt, to a calm and well mannered older brother who wants to get his younger brother home safely. It was scary how he could change his personality in the flip of a switch, and how he was able to play the role of a caring future leader in front of the whole tribe without cracking under the pressure. He had the whole forest fooled into thinking he was this perfect prince charming, but B'nuka knew his true, dark colours, and he had the scars to prove it. The small kit hoped that since these men weren't native to the forest they wouldn't be fooled as easily as his tribe.

"Well we haven't seen any stowaways on this ship. We checked all the nooks and crannies a kit could easily fit in before we turned in for the night."

"But did you not count the possibility that he may have snuck on board  _ after  _ you turned in for the night?"

"It's the middle of the night! The tribes in the woods are Seekers of Sun not Keeper of Moons! No Seeker in their right mind would be up and about when their goddess isn't looking down upon them. How about you head on back and get some rest for the sunrise, we have to leave early in the morning to the Motherland."

The people of the ship seem to not be as easily fooled by Zuka's lies. B'nuka knew at that moment his freedom was sealed. He laid down in the crate, careful not to cause the wood to creak under his weight, and tried to get some sleep for the morning. It was hard to sleep with the sound of the men's argument, but it ended very quickly with what sounded like Zuka getting thrown overboard from the docked ship, forcing the older Miqo'te to give up and retreat. For the first time ever, B'nuka dreamt happy dreams of seeing what was beyond his forest prison.

  
  


***

B'nuka was woken up to a bang on the head. The crate he was in was shaking slightly, as if it was moving. He scampered to one of the small gaps between the wood to see the crate he was in was being carried inside the ship. The kit made no sounds as he saw the crate approaching a door, and saw it open to a large yet barron bedroom. The crate was placed onto the ground with a loud  _ THUD _ as B'nuka heard a one-sided conversation begin to occur in the room

"These books should keep you relatively entertained during the long voyage to the Motherland. Your father told me how much you enjoy reading so we chose to give you this crate full of books ranging from childish stories to some aetherology. Just be sure not to read them all in one day. We should most likely arrive at the Motherland in just under a moon if we have no issues. Dinner will be served at sundown." 

The room went quiet as the man left the room. Leaving B'nuka at the mercy of whoever he was with. At least the words that were spoken confirmed that the ship had set sail, and confirmed that he was out of the forest. All he had to do now was not get caught by the crew of this ship, lest they throw him overboard into the sea or abandon him on the nearest island. Anything better than them turning the ship around and taking him back to the forest, where Zuka would most likely ruin his legs to the point of him never walking again. He rubbed the back of his knees instinctually as he thought of that possibility. 

He stayed as still as a statue upon hearing noises above him, the sounds of someone removing the lid of the crate he has claimed. Light from above surrounds him as the crate is opened, the scared kit looks up to find a confused Raha looking into the crate and finding his best friend instead of books.

"Nuka? What in Azemya are you doing here?" Raha kept his voice down as he talked, not wanting to alert the crew to his stowaway best friend. 

"I… I… I…e-e-escaped the forest… I-I-I saw you and your f-father talking to some s-stranger… A-A-And… A-And then I… I… h-h-hid in this c-crate last night… B-B-But Zuka n-noticed I was m-m-missing… A-A-And he was s-smashing up c-crates and th-th-threatening t-t-to make sure I-I-I n-n-never w-w-walked a-a-ag...a-again… S-So I can't go b-b-back o-or Z-Z-Zuka will… Z-Zuka w-w-will… H-He'll…" B'nuka began to struggle with his words as he explained why he can't go back, begging his friend not to tell anyone on the ship he's here in fear they'll take him back or throw him overboard. The ginger was shaking and sniffling as he was having this panic attack. Darkness was surrounding him, suffocating him. His scars began to ache, the poison inside his wounds acting up making his rough skin burn like acid. He could feel the newer wounds open up as he shook, his blood staining his bandages and skin. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't see, he couldn't hear, he couldn't think…

A surprise hug snapped the boy out of his paniced transe. As the light returned he could see his friend's red hair to his side and felt his small, smooth, clean arms wrap around his waist. "It's okay, I won't tell anyone on the ship. Promise." B'nuka calmed down from his panic attack after a few minutes of hugging from his friend. Once he had calmed down enough, Raha eased off the hug, but still held his friend's hands to comfort him. The red head noticed some blood staining the bandages on one of B'nuka's arms. With permision from his friend he gently unwrapped the bandage, exposing rough scared skin and the opened up wounds to the air around them. "Nuka… You're bleeding…"

"I-I am…? I-It's okay, I-I can h-h-heal…" The two boys stepped out of the crate and sat on the bed. B'nuka had picked up the grimoire he had brought with him and placed it between the two of them. Raha opened the book up to where a bookmark (or a very thin stick) was placed, a page about the spell "Physick." B'nuka hovered an arm above his wound and began to mumble the spell incantation under his breath. As he did so, healing aether went from his shaking hand to the wound, stopping the bleeding and rougly healing the wound. It'll scar, not that it matters to one covered in them.

"Incredible. When'd you learn that?"

"I-I p-p-practiced all of last week... I-I-I tried to heal s-some of my s-scars, b-but my magic isn't s-s-strong enough… Maybe when I-I'm b-b-better at m-magic I-I'll be a-able to h-heal my scars up…"

"Well, when we reach the Motherland you can see one of the many healers and ask if your scars can be healed away."

"R-Really?" The two boys talked for hours, both excited about this second chance they have. No more will they be bullied by mean, older kits or highly traditional elders. They are free, and ready to make a new home for themselves…

...As brothers.


End file.
